Health Board fast forwards Latte Tax by five years

But NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has brought that deadline forward by five years and plans to ban the plastic coated paper cups from all its outlets before the end of 2018.

Britain’s biggest health authority goes through a million of the cups every year through their own brand Aroma Café outlets in hospitals.

Customers who sit-in for a coffee will be offered a china cup instead. Regular users such as staff and frequent visitors will be encouraged to purchase a low cost multiple use refillable carry-out.

Polypropylene cups - readily recyclable and with a lower carbon impact than paper-based or compostable-plastic based equivalents – will be used as a carry-out alternative.

The health board’s sustainability manager Martin Johnston decided to get ahead of the curve after being inundated with emails following David Attenborough’s disturbing Blue Planet series which showed the massive scale of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans.

He said: “We can reduce our plastic waste but any changes can only be a success if patients, visitors and staff support the many initiatives that will be introduced in the coming months.

“The coffee and drinks cup alternatives are just one part of how Greater Glasgow and Clyde plans to deliver on Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan which requires public bodies to recycle 70% of all waste.

“As a public service we are committed to the reduction of single use items, including coffee cups, straws and cutlery.

“The introduction of recycling bins is part of our efforts but we can only make a real impact if patients, visitors and staff support all the initiatives we make. Major changes are needed to allow us to comply with legislation and also save resources.”

NHSGGC produces more than 600,000 tonnes of waste a year. Strenuous effort is going in to reduce that amount and ensure that as much waste as possible is effectively recycled in some way.